VAIL, Colorado — A 42-year-old woman and 49-year-old man were escorted off Vail Mountain and met by sheriff deputies Feb. 6.

The woman said she was skiing and went into Two Elk Lodge on top of the mountain. She said she saw the man there, who she knew from a Denver social club, which they were in together. She said she tapped him on the head with her ski glove to say hello. He got very upset and hit her in the left eye with the back of his hand. She said it knocked her on her back and was unable to see.

The woman's friends saw what happened and stopped the man when he tried to leave. At that point the man and woman were escorted off the mountain by Vail Security.

An officer spoke with the woman and noticed her eye beginning to swell. Vail Security called an ambulance because a contact lens was stuck in her eye.

The officer then spoke with the man. He said he was eating lunch and the next thing he knew he was being hit by a glove. He said he was “pissed off” and hit the woman. He said he knew he messed up after he did it, that he was sorry and did not mean to hurt her.

Both parties said there was no history between them and they only knew each other from the social club. The man was charged with assault.